Illegals to remain in custody

4th July 2007, 0 comments

4 July 2007, AMSTERDAM - The 23 illegal aliens that an immigration judge in Amsterdam ordered to be released on Tuesday will remain in custody for the time being nonetheless. The Council of State decided this late on Tuesday evening, a spokesperson announced on Wednesday.

4 July 2007

AMSTERDAM - The 23 illegal aliens that an immigration judge in Amsterdam ordered to be released on Tuesday will remain in custody for the time being nonetheless. The Council of State decided this late on Tuesday evening, a spokesperson announced on Wednesday.

State secretary for justice Nebahat Albayrak had asked to suspend the release order pending an appeal that the state has filed against the court's verdict on Tuesday.

The police apprehended over 100 illegal aliens when they raided a café in Amsterdam-Zuidoost in early June. The operation was aimed at combating internet fraud and other criminal activities by West-Africans. Investigation reportedly showed that the suspected criminals are often in the Netherlands without the proper papers and regularly gathered in this particular café.

A number of the arrested individuals took the matter to court, which ruled on Tuesday that the raid was unlawful. The police did not have reasonable suspicion that the café patrons were staying illegally in the Netherlands, was the court's verdict. The police investigation did not include enough evidence to assume that those who were involved in the criminal activity were often in the Netherlands illegally.

The Council of State will hear the appeal submitted by Albayrak within five weeks.